Three arrests after hare coursers cause damage

Three people have been arrested after a "large amount of vehicles" were involved in suspected hare coursing, Lincolnshire Police said.

The force said it received more than 40 reports on Sunday across the county of around 14 cars driving in convoy and across fields.

In a social media post, the Rural Crime Action Team said: "These criminals were driving in a pack with no regards to property and completely ignoring the safety of other road users."

Superintendent Pat Coates said the gang had caused "a substantial amount of damage to farmers' land".

"This is one of the worst reports we have seen this year," he said.

"Some of the reports describe extremely dangerous driving, with people having to take action to avoid head on collisions.

"They drive across fields they have total disregard to any crops, the damage they cause," he said.

"So the hare coursing is almost secondary to the damage and everything and the turmoil they cause when they do go coursing."

He added that the arrests were made after a car crashed into a water filled ditch, near Billingborough.

"There was about six or seven from that vehicle that ran and we caught three of them," Supt Coates added.

They have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and have been released under investigation, the force said.

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